In Maharashtra, the BJP today announced the names of three candidates for the 27 March by-elections to five seats in the State Legislative Council. The party has fielded Sandip Diwakarrao Joshi, former Mayor of Nagpur and a close aide of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis; Sanjay Kishanrao Kenekar, General Secretary of the State BJP unit; and former MLA Dadarao Yadavrao Keche for the council bypolls.

The by-elections have been necessitated following the victory of five sitting Member of the Legislative Councils (MLC) in the November 2024 Assembly polls. Three of these MLCs who entered the Assembly were from the BJP, while one each belonged to the Shiv Sena and the The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). All three parties are constituents of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in the state.

The last date for filing nominations is March 17, with scrutiny scheduled for March 18. Candidates can withdraw from the contest until March 20. The elections will be held on March 27, and the counting of votes will take place the same day.